Festa del Beato Antonio, Amandola

A cheery touch - Beato Antonio's body in Amandola's main church.

We are currently in the middle of the 4 day religious festival for Blessed Antonio, the patron of Amandola, who was born in 1355. His remains are in a sanctuary in Saint Augustine's
church in Piazza Risorgimento.

Apart from the religious aspect with Masses, processions and benediction, there are are also the non-religious events such as the Sagra della Fregnaccia (a "fregatura" is
a swindle, a trick and the "fregnaccia" is what looks like canneloni but there is nothing in the middle!), the magic show for children which was on last night; Flavio Band which will sing
covers of popular Italian songs; That's Amore on Sunday night - a tribute to the swing bands, Frank Sinatra and similar. Sunday morning is the Canestrelle - a type of harvest procession.

The piazza is decorated with great wheels of woven straw, dried poppies and sunflowers. It looks great! Each shop front has the Amandola yellow & red flag hanging from a staff
perpendicular to the walls. An Australian girl currently working here asked me (tongue-in-cheek) why they had the surf lifesaving flags up.....